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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Command. And it’s unpleasant features.

I just finished Volume 2 of Lee’s Lieutenants: A Study in Command by Douglas Freeman. Towards the end, I observed a passage on how General Lee managed to handle the ego of one of his great commanders, JEB Stuart. During the battle of Chancellorsville (May 1963), General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was mistakenly shot by Confederate soldiers and died a week later. General Stuart, the calvary commander, assumed his command and by all accounts handled the mission well. 

And Stuart knew it. A man who did like to be praised; he was somewhat taken aback when his named was not mentioned enough (in his mind) in the official dispatches. I love this section on how General Lee handled his ego bruised calvary commander:

          In answer to some complaint at lock of mention in dispatches, Lee wrote Stuart:

“In the management of the difficult operations at Chancellorsville, which you so promptly undertook and creditably performed, I saw no error to correct, nor has there been a fiting opportunity to commend your conduct. I prefer your acts to speak for themselves, not does your character or reputation require bolstering by out-of-place expression of opinions.” 

That was flattering and reassuring but it also was a tactful caution against vainglory and self-advertising.

Lee's Lieutenant's: A Study in Command, Volume II, page 692

Beautifully put. A great commander must be able to massage the ego of his subordinates, keeping them going even when he must come down on them. A few weeks after this, General Lee had to counsel  General Stuart on his habit of going off by himself. In the movie Gettysburg, General Lee (played surprisingly well by Martin Sheen) brings in JEB Stuart (Joseph Fuqua), and explains how he failed in the beginning of the battle:

“General Robert E. Lee : General Stuart... your mission was to free this army from the enemy cavalry and report any movement by the enemy's main body. That mission was not fulfilled. You left here with no word of your movement or movement of the enemy for several days. Meanwhile, we were engaged here and drawn into battle without adequate knowledge of the enemy's strength or position, without knowledge of the ground. So it is only by God's grace that we did not meet disaster here.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart : General Lee, there were reasons...

General Robert E. Lee : [Lee holds up his hand to silence Stuart]  Perhaps you misunderstood my orders? Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Well, sir... this must be made *very* clear. You, sir, with your cavalry, are the eyes of this army. Without your cavalry, we are made blind. That has already happened once. It must never, *never* happen again.

Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart : [Stuart stares at the floor, then slowly draws his sword in token of his resignation]  Sir... since I no longer hold the General's...

General Robert E. Lee : [suddenly furious, Lee pounds the table with his fist]  I have *told* you, there is no time for that! There is no time!

[he pauses, takes a deep breath, and calms down again] 

General Robert E. Lee : There is another fight comin' tomorrow, and we need you. We need every man, God knows. You must take what I have told you, and learn from it, as a man does.

[he takes Stuart's sword and replaces it in its scabbard] 

General Robert E. Lee : There has been a mistake. It will not happen again; I know your quality. You are one of the finest cavalry officers I have ever known, and your service to this army has been invaluable. Now... let us speak no more of this.

[he turns and slowly walks away, then turns back to Stuart] 

General Robert E. Lee : The matter is concluded. Good night 

Here is the video, better than just the words. But again, a senior commander correcting his subordinate, whom he has not only respect, but affection. A difficult position to be put into, but one any commander must be prepared for. Lee corrected Stuart but left his ego and self-worth intact. Well done sir (Yes, I know it’s from the novel The Killer Angles, but again, well done).


Friday, June 11, 2021

Officer Down


Sergeant Steven Splan
Bloomfield Hills Department of Public Safety, Michigan
End of Watch Sunday, August 2, 2020
Age 46
Tour 15 years
Badge 325
Cause Heart attack

Sergeant Steven Splan suffered a fatal heart attack several hours after cutting and removing a large tree that had fallen onto Bloomfield Hills Parkway east of Woodward Avenue at approximately 12:30 pm.

He returned to the station and was found unresponsive at approximately 11:00 pm.

Sergeant Splan had served with the Bloomfield Hills Police Department for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and four children.
Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Officer Down


Corrections Officer Daniel G. Oaks
Yakima County Department of Corrections, Washington
End of Watch Saturday, August 1, 2020
Age 58
Tour 15 years
Cause COVID19

Corrections Officer Dan Oaks died after contracting COVID-19 during an outbreak among staff and inmates at the Yakima County Jail.

Officer Oaks had served with the Yakima County Department of Corrections for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.

In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.
Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Monday, June 7, 2021

Officer Down


Trooper Caleb Starr
Michigan State Police, Michigan
End of Watch Friday, July 31, 2020
Age 33
Tour 1 year, 10 months
Badge 485
Cause Vehicular assault
Incident Date Friday, July 10, 2020
Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Trooper Caleb Starr succumbed to injuries sustained three weeks earlier when his vehicle was struck head-on by an intoxicated driver in Ionia County.

He was traveling west on Grand River Avenue, in Boston Township, responding to a low-priority call when a vehicle crossed the center line and struck his vehicle. He had to be extricated from the vehicle and flown by helicopter to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, in Grand Rapids, where he remained until succumbing to his injuries.

Trooper Starr served with the Michigan State Police for less than two years. He is survived by his wife, and two children.
Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Saturday, June 5, 2021

BBC really needs to learn English

A 60 Minutes host (I think Morley Safer, but I stand to be corrected) told students looking into becoming reporters that one thing they should never major in is journalism. He said he could teach you everything you need to know about journalism in a few months, but major in something that will help you in the endeavor (English comes to mind!). Much like I’ve told countless people wanting to become cops, the last thing to get a degree in is criminal justice. The police academy will teach you what is required, why pay for it. Get something that will make you more marketable, if you will. Accounting, computer science, etc. 

Going back to the comment on English, I got an update from the BBC this morning, "Nations back deal to tax multinationals." Here is the article: 

G7: Rich nations back deal to tax multinationals

The G7 group of advanced economies has reached a "historic" deal to make multinational companies pay more tax.

Finance ministers meeting in London agreed to battle tax avoidance by making companies pay more in the countries where they do business.

They also agreed in principle to a global minimum corporate tax rate of 15% to avoid countries undercutting each other…

Again, the author of this article mistakes something. The nations did not agree to this, but the governments did. One of the greatest quotes from Ronald Reagan, front his first inaugural speech:

We are a nation that has a government -- not the other way around. 

Yes, the people are the nation, and they didn't agree to this. The government's did. Assuming this makes it through the US Senate (a quaint notion, following the constitution, but go with me), it will then be law, no matter what the nation wants. 

Now here is the real funny part:

…The deal announced on Saturday, between the US, the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and Japan, plus the EU, could see billions of dollars flow to governments to pay off debts incurred during the Covid crisis... 

As I've explained countless times, a politician says we will take a dollar from you, use it to some critical task (e.g. roads, bridges, schools, debt). He then spends five dollars on anything but what he said he 

Another amusing part of the propaganda, excuse me, news article:

"...His German counterpart, Olaf Scholz, said it was "very good news for tax justice and solidarity and bad news for tax havens".

"Companies will no longer be in a position to dodge their tax obligations by booking their profits in lowest-tax countries," he said...  

 In the immortal words of Dr. Evil, "Riiight." If Ireland is no longer the lowest taxed nation, Amazon or Apple will use another low tax nation. They simply will need to pay off the politicians (both parties) on this. I'm recalling the 1990s, when Bubba Clinton jacked up taxes on luxury items like yachts. The rich simply got their yachts from overseas, dodging the taxes. When the GOP took over the congress and repealed that, the revenue increased. Something libtards just don't get (or refuse to acknowledge), that 15% of a buck is a lot more than 50% of nothing. 

Friday, June 4, 2021

Summertime!

 It was a miserable 2020, and 2021 has also been challenging, but at least it’s a move upward. On Tuesday-Wednesday I took my Harley on a 2 day ride near the Texas-Mexico border, and it was great to clear my head. I know I need to take some time off when I’m driving around while off duty, see a moron do something stupid, and I reach over to run his plate.

Well, I don’t see Beth and I on a real vacation for a bit, as we’ve both started new jobs. We are planning on attending the Blue Knights International Convention in Ireland in the summer of 2022, and likely will squeeze a short cruise in between then and now.

But I can’t think of a better song to start the vacation season with. I would love the official video, but it’s blocked (Thanks Bruce! :<( ). Here is a decent live version of Girls in their Summer Cloths. Enjoy. And have a great weekend.


Officer Down




Captain Kevin Trahan
Church Point Police Department, Louisiana
End of Watch Friday, July 31, 2020
Age 59
Tour 26 years
Cause COVID19
Incident Date Friday, June 26, 2020

Captain Kevin Trahan died after contracting COVID-19 during a confirmed exposure at the Church Point Police Department building on June 26th.

Captain Trahan had served in law enforcement for 26 years. He had served with the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office before joining the Church Point Police Department. He is survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, two stepdaughters, grandchildren, and two sisters. His wife also serves with the agency.

In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.
Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Officer Down


Sergeant Parnell Guyton
University of Alabama at Birmingham Police Department, Alabama
End of Watch Friday, July 31, 2020
Age 47
Tour 16 years
Cause COVID19
Incident Date Friday, March 27, 2020

Sergeant Parnell Guyton died after contracting COVID-19 in a presumed exposure while on duty.

Sergeant Guyton had served with the University of Alabama at Birmingham Police Department for 16 years. He is survived by his wife and son.

In early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country contracted COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic due to requirements of their job. Many of these first responders died as a result of COVID-19.
Rest in Peace Bro…We Got The Watch

Nemo me impune lacessit

Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hills, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. 

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Great article on the Arizona audit. One point I’ve found very curious. Democrats have sent around 100 lawyers to stop the audit. If the audit will show nothing wrong, why stop it? Why should the Dems spend a fortune in legal fees to stop an effort that will cost the Republican Party another fortune in legal and other fees.  If there is nothing there, why not, from the Democrats point of view, let the GOP makes fools of themselves in front of the entire nation? 

The wisdom of Ramses (Yul Brynner) come to mind, “Let him speak so men shall know him mad.” If the Democrats truly believe the election was not stolen (But 2016 was), they should be sitting back and enjoying this. 

Elizabeth Vaughn 6/1/2021 5:17 

Reporting from the floor of the Maricopa County, Arizona forensic audit on Tuesday, OANN's Christina Bobb told viewers a delegation from Pennsylvania had arrived on Tuesday and for a tour of the audit on Wednesday.

"They've expressed interest in the Arizona audit and possibly replicating this in Pennsylvania. ... They are getting a behind the scene tour tomorrow. ... They're going to get to hear from the auditors exactly what is happening," Bobb said…